The following is my discussion guide, based on the research plan posted earlier. These questions are used for the qualitative interviews, though some questions will be tweaked according to the interviewee’s answers.
1. INTRODUCTION
Hi, my name is Tammy. Thank you for taking the time off to talk to me today. I’ll be asking you some questions regarding your traveling experiences, more specifically when you do free-and-easy traveling.
2. WARM-UP
- What’s your age and gender?
- What do you think of free and easy traveling?
- Do you enjoy traveling free and easy?
- When was the last time you traveled free and easy?
- Who did you travel with at that time?
3. INTRODUCE THE TOPIC
- What is the frequency of your traveling free and easy?
- Can you walk me through your process of getting ready for your most recent trip, starting from searching for an air ticket (including the planning of itinerary)
- During the planning phase, was there anything that raised a concern?
- How did you learn about the particular country you are traveling to?
- What are some challenges you face when you were there in that country?
How do these challenges differ when you travel to another country? - How did you overcome these challenges?
4. DIG DEEPER
[CULTURE]
- Comparing Singapore with the country you visited, did you experience any culture shock? (Please provide examples)
- By knowing the cultural difference beforehand, how do you think your experience will differ?
- What do you think is the best way to teach a country’s culture to foreigners? (how will you like to be taught)
[LANGUAGE BARRIER]
- Before we move on to the next segment, can I quickly check with you what languages you speak?
- What language do people in the country you visited speak?
(if any) Were you comfortable with the language switch?
(if not) Have you been to a country where they do not speak your language? - Do you think learning how to speak a foreign language before traveling to that foreign language changes the traveling experience?
- Have you learned a foreign language before?
How did you learn it?
Was it helpful? - Personally, how do you think one should learn a foreign language?
[TRANSPORT]
- What is the main mode of transport you take?
- Tell me about your experience traveling around the country.
- What are some challenges you face when traveling around the country?
- How do you think one can transport more comfortably within the country?
[OTHER PROBLEMS]
- What do you think is crucial to learning/note when traveling to another foreign country?
- What do you think is the best way to approach that particular factor to ensure a smooth experience?
- Can you think about other problems that you have / may face?
[PRODUCT]
- Are there any existing products/brands you know/used to elevate your traveling experience?
- Let’s say I want to create a medium that is meant to educate people on a foreign country’s lifestyle, what factors/information do you envision the medium to include?
- What type of channels (digital game, manual book, installation, etc.) do you think can entice this type of learning? Please specify the platform as well.
- Realistically, will you use said medium to elevate your next traveling experience?
Why or why not? - What do you think can motivate you to learn more about a foreign country?
5. WRAPPING UP
- Are there any more things you would like to add that could improve one’s traveling experience?
That is all from me, thank you so much once again for your answers and your time. Have a good day ahead!